The Ondo State High Court has sentenced a woman, Patience Godswill, to seven years’ imprisonment for stealing and selling a two-year-old girl, Blessing, in Omifon town, in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The convict and two other women, Martha Ogboji and Nnomah Annaibe, were arrested and charged with stealing Blessing in Ondo State and selling her to a woman in Abia State for N300,000.
The trio were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and child stealing.
Godswill pleaded guilty to the two counts preferred against her, while other defendants pleaded not guilty.
Justice Bode Adegbehinge, in whose court the trial began, sentenced Godswill to seven years’ imprisonment.
The case of the other two defendants was transferred to Justice Olamide Williams of the same High Court.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the mother of the victim, Taiwo Adesina, said her daughter was stolen on August 14, 2018, at Omifon, adding that she was taken out by her sister-in-law’s daughter, identified as Amina, to buy biscuit, when she got missing.
“I later traced the girls when they did not return on time; but I met Amina crying on the way. She said a certain woman collected Blessing from her after the strange woman had sent her (Amina) to buy bread. I immediately raised the alarm and the matter was reported to the police,” she added.
Amina, who also testified in the court, said she left Blessing with the strange woman who sent her to buy bread.
“When I returned to the spot where we met the woman, she had disappeared with Blessing. I can identify the woman if I set my eyes on her,” she added.
Justice Williams adjourned the case till January 18, 2022 for continuation of trial.
